Dung beetles, mostly belonging to the Scarabaeidae family, are found across nearly every continent where mammalian feces are present. These insects perform an important ecological function by rapidly burying and consuming waste, aiding in nutrient cycling, soil aeration, and controlling fly populations. Although many species possess a hard exoskeleton and spend time concealed, their constant association with fresh dung makes them a readily available protein source for a vast array of predators globally.
Predators of the Land and Sky
Birds represent one of the largest groups of animals that actively hunt adult dung beetles, with over 400 avian species documented consuming these insects. Surface-feeding birds often target the beetles as they manipulate dung pats or fly low to the ground in search of a new deposit. For example, the Gull-billed Tern (Sterna nilotica) captures large scarabs rolling dung balls across the landscape. Nocturnal birds, such as the Tawny Owl, specialize in beetle consumption; analyses of their pellets show evidence of dung scarabs, and this species may even excavate buried beetles from the soil.
Mammals also play a substantial role in regulating dung beetle populations through generalized foraging and subterranean hunting techniques. Bats, which are often nocturnal foragers, account for a large number of recorded predation events, capturing flying beetles or picking them from the ground. The Greater Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) has been documented consuming various scarab genera, including Aphodius and Geotrupes. Ground-dwelling insectivores and omnivores, such as skunks, badgers, hedgehogs, and shrews, frequently disturb dung pats or excavate the shallow burrows where beetles hide their food or eggs.
Ground-Level Hunters and Ambush Predators
A diverse community of smaller predators awaits the beetles closer to the ground. Amphibians, particularly terrestrial frogs and toads, are opportunistic feeders that consume dung beetles straying from the protection of the feces. Reptiles, such as various species of lizards, skinks, and geckos in warmer regions, actively hunt the beetles as they move across the soil surface. The relatively slow speed of a beetle rolling a dung ball makes it susceptible to these fast-moving, sight-based hunters.
Invertebrates also present a significant threat, often employing ambush tactics near the resource that attracts the beetles. Arachnids, including large spiders and scorpions, lurk in the vegetation surrounding a fresh dung pat, seizing beetles as they arrive or attempt to depart. Other insects, particularly predatory beetles such as rove beetles (Staphylinidae), consume certain dung beetle species, including those in the Aphodius and Onthophagus genera. Even certain avian species, like the Burrowing Owl, have been observed using animal feces as a type of bait to lure and trap the beetles.
Threats to Eggs and Larvae
Specialized threats target the vulnerable life stages of the dung beetle, often utilizing the protective environment of the brood ball. Parasitic flies, such as those in the Sarcophagidae family, significantly reduce the survival rate of developing larvae. These flies, or parasitoid wasps, lay their eggs on or near the dung beetle larvae, allowing their hatched young to consume the grub internally.
Beyond direct consumption, the beetles can become unwilling participants in the life cycles of other parasites. Dung beetles act as intermediate hosts for helminths, which are parasitic worms that infect the digestive systems of mammals and birds. The beetle ingests the parasite egg while feeding on feces, and the parasite develops into an infective larval stage within the beetle’s body. Transmission is completed when a definitive host, such as a mammal or bird, consumes the infected adult beetle, demonstrating a complex, indirect predatory threat.